One of Beccles’ most prized community assets will soon be under control of its town council.

Following negotiations with current owners Waveney District Council (WDC) last year, Beccles Quay will be handed over to Beccles Town Council.

The process of changing hands began in April but the WDC will operate the quay until September.

Beccles mayor Elfrede Brambley-Crawshaw has spoken of the council’s future hopes to improve the picturesque location.

She said: “The quay’s full potential wasn’t being met; it was a small asset among larger, more profitable assets.

“We feel it is not an area to be run for profit – to get the most out of it, it must be run for the community.

“All the money it makes will be put back into the quay. Now it is firmly rooted in the community we want to improve it just for the sake of it.”

Improving the children’s play equipment is one of the council’s top priorities.

Mrs Brambley-Crawshaw said: “As part of my mayoral appeal I am raising money for new play equipment – some of the equipment down there is more than 35-year-old.

“It has been assessed by experts who say it is currently fine but will be critical in a couple of years and need replacing.

“We want to show children that we value them in our community.”

The mayor also expressed the council’s desire to increase and improve the amount of mooring available at the quay.

Mrs Brambley-Crawshaw said: “The reason for this is twofold; it brings more people into Beccles, which is brilliant for the town, and it provides money for the town council which can then be put back into the quay.”

The empty tourist information centre at the quayside is also set to be given a new lease of life as the neighbouring Beccles Quay Café has been granted permission to extend into the property.

The café will provide leaflets and tourist information from the new site.

Mrs Brambley-Crawshaw added: “We are happy because it breathes life into and old building and it is important for tourist to have that information.

“They run a brilliant facility that is beneficial to the area and the town.”